Improvement in cartridge-boxes



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Cartridge Box;

Patented June 15, I869.

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John a. McGI N NESS, oF'WAsmNe oN, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

I Letters Patent No. 91,249, dated June 15, 1869 3 autedated J was 2, 1869.

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The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may cmwern: v I

Be it known that I, JQHXLR MGGINNEsgof the city of Washington, and District of Oolumbiay have invented-a new and useful Improvement in Cartridge- Boxes, of which the following is agfull, clear,'and exact description, reference being, bad to'the annexed drawin gs, makings. part otithis sp'ecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view'of my im'proved cartridge-box; I v it F'gurc 2, a similar view of the same, showing the act of turning the perforate block, so as to expose the lower tier of cartridgesran a v Figure 3,-a similar view. of, blockm position, exposing the lower'tier of cartridges ready for use, also showing the small pouch c,to\ hold the screwdriver.

The object of my invention is so to 'constructa "cartridge-box that it may oontain a 'double row of cartridges, either of which rows may-kreadily be exposed or placed in position for extraction, while the cartridges are prevented'froin dropping out, and also protected from liability to accidentalcxplosions; to

which ends,

My improvement consists in "a'novel method of combining, with a cartridge-box a reversible cartridgereceptacle, swivelling on studs or trunnions, moving in a slotted guide, the receptacle being provided with a buttoned flap, to prevent the dropping'df the cartridges, and the box having a ledge in frcht, to prevent the receptacle from being jolted out-by the movements of thesoldiers body. I

In order to carry out the object of my ittvention, I construct a leather box in the usual way, ,liut having a flap, l, shorter, by preference, than those usually made, which flap is fastened down by the button 0,

riveted to the outer wall of the box, orat its bottom The object of shortening the flap l, is to enable it to assume a more vertical positionwhen unbuttoncd, and be out of the way of withdrawing the cartridges.

I dispense with the usual inner flap, and place the cars (l on the outside flap.

1 cut away the upper portioirof the outer wall of the box fin'mcrlyused in the United States army, so as to fiicilitate the turning fofthe perfin'atel block j,

and yet leave a ledge, ce e, near theboito to prevent the block from swinging outward until lifted from the box. v

The cartridges are contained in areceptacle, in this instance, composed of a woodenblock j; ,of a size suificieut to contain a double rowof hole id hid. upper and lowersides of the block, the holes bcii gparallel with the grain of the wood, to insure grcaten strength in the partitions between them. 1

I horcevcry other hole little? deeper thii' the adjacent one, in order that the cartridges may stand up alternately, one above the other, so that they may he the more readily grasped and extracted with the fingers. j .I groove the ends of the block, and screw in these ends the metallic plates h, having a slot, c, cut in them, toslide in the 'two studs It, riveted near the-top of the leather ends of the box, 'upon which studs the block may he slid up and down, turned or revolved completely over, so as to expose the lower tier of cartridges.

1 construct, on the end of the box, a small pouch, a, to hold thescrew-driver, another of which may be placed on the opposite end, tohold the tumbler-punch.

, I place on the block alcather flap, Z, which is tacked, screwed, or otherwise fastened on one side, lapped over the end, and fastened by a button, m, on the other side, so as to support the lower tier of cartridges in the act of turning the block This flap, when the lower tier of cartridges is turned up in position ready for using, is tacked down between. the block and upper flap or cover. In this position it wilhhe out of the .way itself, and will also tend to support the outer flap, and keep it ina vertical position, so as not to impede ready access to the cartridges.

The block should be so suspended on the studs k as not to allow the lower tier to rest on or touch the bottom of the box, to insure against accidental explosion, and to prevent the weight of the upper tier of cartridges from restingon the lower tier, which might loosen the bullets.

The block being in position, as in fig. 1, but having all the cartridges in the upper tier expended, and it being desired to place the block, as in fig. 3, to expose the lower tier, it is drawn upward till the studs strike the bottom ot'.tl1e slots, and revolved outward from the body, as shown in fig. 2, and again slid upward into the box, over the outer wall, which is made low for this purpose.

The block is then dropped into the box, and securely held there by ledge e.

The present regulation cartridge-box, for paper cartridges,-may be madeto conform to this box by following the foregoing directions.

I do not claim broadly, under this application, the use of a reversible block, nor'of a flap.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-is-- The combination, as set forth of the reversible pivoted cartridge-receptacle with he restraining-ledge, for the purposes specified. s

J'NO. R. MGGINNESS,

Witnesses W. S. Snoor,

J P. KELLERJ sufliciently far to allow the empty end to be inserted 

